Former 800m European champion Lynsey Sharp has retired from athletics, saying she has “given it everything I’m willing to give; mentally, physically and financially”.
The Scot has now called time on her career after months of deliberation.
She said juggling athletics with motherhood is not “something you can do half-hearted”.
Announcing her retirement, the double Olympian and former Commonwealth Games silver medallist wrote on Instagram: “Throughout my career I was often asked about the sacrifices I had made to be an athlete – I never saw these life choices as sacrifices; I didn’t want to spend my time doing anything else.
“Time goes on and your priorities change. Now I do feel I’m making sacrifices in other aspects of my life in order to continue pursuing my athletics career.
“And that’s why I know now is the right time to hang up my spikes. As with any sports career, it’s been a rocky road. The highest of highs and some very low points.
“Every single experience has shaped me into the person I am today and I will always be thankful for everything this sport has taught me.
“I have travelled the world, made lifelong friends, trained with some of the best athletes in the world and raced in front of some pretty insane crowds.”
Sharp won European gold in 2012 and added silver two years later. She also took silver in front of her home crowd at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and competed at two Olympic Games, setting a Scottish record time with her sixth-place finish in the 2016 final in Rio.
She and partner Andrew Butchart, a fellow Scottish athlete, had son, Max, in 2021.
Sharp, who had surgery to remove pre-cancerous cells in 2019, last competed at a major event at the World Championships in Doha in 2019.
She added: “I wanted this comeback after Max to go better and, if I made a lot of sacrifices, I could definitely race for another season.
“But this isn’t something you can do half-hearted. You can be a mum and an athlete but it’s really hard … and you have to really want to do it. So respect all the athlete mums out there even more than you already do.
“It’s taken me months to come to this decision. In my heart I knew, but it takes time to process and come to terms with such a huge decision.”
Fellow Scot Eilish McColgan, the Commonwealth 10,000m champion, was among those to pay tribute, saying: “What a career! Proud to have been alongside you for a good chunk of it – starting at Scottish Primary Champs where you absolutely spanked everyone!
“Watching you win Europeans was what made me believe us Scots could actually break into GB teams! And I’ve no doubt you’ll have created that pathway for many others to break through. Max will be proud of his mum that’s for sure!”
